The Prayer of a Righteous Man | PRAYER

Training

What Do I Need to Know About the Passage? What’s the Big Idea? James 5:12-18 Ineffective prayer is indicative of a lack of faith, righteousness and humility. There are many passages about prayer in Scripture, and different authors highlight different facets of it. What seems most important to James is the communal side of The wise and mature believer is humbly reli- prayer, the humble reliance of prayer and the effectiveness of prayer. They are, as we’ll ant upon God and his faith is fully integrated see, interrelated, but we’ll look at each in turn. with his actions – he “walks as he talks.” This is the “righteous man” whose prayers are The Humble Reliance of Prayer powerful and effective. The contrast between humility and pride is made often in James and when not stated it can be read between the lines. If spiritual health is found in wisdom, then pride is the equivalent of HIV. It is our prayer life that is the primary vehicle of expressing our humble reliance upon God, just as “self-talk” is the language of pride. It might be fruit- ful to flesh-out the differences.

When I’m suffering, prideful independence says: This hurts. What’s the quickest way to get out of this and get rid of this pain? I’ll go What’s the Problem? buy something, go somewhere, numb myself with drugs, sex, pornography, alcohol... We are inclined to pridefully live in isolated whatever. I’ll show those people who hurt me; I’ll be smarter, better, prettier, funnier... independence, which is the opposite of humble, prayerful reliance. Humble dependence prays: Lord, this is hard and I don’t know what you’re doing, but I know you’re good and I know you’re in control. My hope is in you. I don’t know why this is happening but I know your love for me hasn’t changed. I know you’ll work this for my good. Please sustain me, God, and strengthen me...

When I am happy, prideful independence says: I cannot believe I landed this job. This is going to be incredible; I’m going to get that amazing apartment downtown with a flatscreen the size of Kansas. I should celebrate – I’ve earned it, I’ve worked so hard for this. I can’t wait to tell everyone, they’re going to be impressed...

Humble dependence prays: I can’t believe this; this is such a gift from you, Lord. I am so undeserving and yet you lift me up, and give me favor and lead me every step of the way. Please, God, help me not to get ahead of you on this. Keep my mind and heart from drifting, and keep me from putting my hope or finding my joy in this instead of you... Training

The Prayer of a Righteous Man | Prayer What’s Our Response?

When I sin, prideful independence says: You want every member in the group to have I can’t believe I did this again. I’m serious this time I will never, ever do this again. I someone with whom they can confess their hope people don’t find out about this...I have been doing a lot for God lately. I can’t sins – for healing, forgiveness, accountability imagine He’d embarrass me and have people find out; I’m probably being too hard on and encouragement. myself here. Also help the group to see the power of Humble dependence prays: communal prayer. If your ministry has a time Lord I trust that you will ultimately deliver me from this, no matter how long it may of group prayer, encourage people to start take – my hope is in you. Thank you that you don’t treat me as my sins deserve. Lord, attending. If your ministry has no weekly who could I tell, who could I bring in to this to help and pray? Lord, help me to not prayer time, then perhaps you could start consider my own reputation here. Help me to be courageous and take the steps one. you’ve shown me to take in this area. As this is the last study, you may also want to Well, even if the narrative voice here is a little canned and candied, you get the idea. allow some time for the group to share what This is the prayer life James envisions for us – humbly reliant upon God in every situa- has been most helpful in the past six weeks. tion and all circumstances. Last, in recapping make sure they leave knowing that in Christ “are hidden all the Corporate Prayer treasures of wisdom”(Col 2:3). James emphasizes the community dimension of prayer, perhaps due in part to his other two concerns: “effective” prayer and “humble” prayer. Jesus said, “where Having wisdom is having “the mind of two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matt. 18:20), so we Christ.” Such wisdom is the fruit of being in know that communal prayer is both powerful and effective. Com- munal prayer is also the Word and having a close intimate walk humbling, unless you don’t find confessing your sins others humbling. with Christ, where He transforms our worldly thinking into godly wisdom. It’s instructive to note the difference in emphasis between James 5:16 and 1 John 1:9 on confession. James 5:16 says “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed,” putting the emphasis on healing. 1 John 1:9, on the other hand, says that when we confess our sins to God, he “cleanses us from all unrighteousness,” putting the emphasis on forgiveness and cleansing. Both are important, but we confess our sins to one another in order to get well or “be healed” – which is both humbling and effective.

We can focus a great deal of our time in personal prayer – as we should – but in missing this corporate element, we miss out on empowerment needed to get well and engage in the spiritual battle.

Powerful, Effective Prayer In these verses James puts an accent on “effective” prayer, mentioning “the prayer of faith” and that the “prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” In chapter 1, he mentioned that the prayer of the “double-minded,” or doubting man, is ineffective. It’s not the major concern of James that our prayers may go unanswered, it’s that he sees ineffective prayer as indicative of a lack of faith, righteousness and humility. The wise and mature believer, whose faith is fully integrated with his actions, sees his prayers answered. That’s what James means when he describes the “righteous man” whose prayers are effective.

That doesn’t mean that God always says ‘yes’ to our requests or always provides healing when we ask, but the principle that “the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective” is true. Training

The Prayer of a Righteous Man | PRAYER

What Are the Questions? James 5:12-18

Launch

Describe someone you know who truly exhibits a life of humble dependence.What is he like? How does he live out humble dependence? Besides humility, what qualities characterize his life?

Explore

Read James 5:13-18. 9. From what you know of the Old Testament, what might the oil 1. We are told in Scripture to pray in all circumstances. symbolize? What are the circumstances touched on here? 10. While it’s important to pray in faith, just because we earnestly 2. There are many facets of prayer taught throughout ask, trusting in God, doesn’t mean we will be healed or get what Scripture. What are the key things about prayer that James we ask for. From what passage(s) of Scripture can we infer that wants to highlight? this is true?

3. In James, the humble and reliant lifestyle of prayer is set 11. The person who prays in faith is contrasted, in chapter 1, with a in contrast to prideful independence. Why do we continually double-minded person. What does it mean to be double-minded? migrate back and forth between these two lifestyles? 12. Read 1 John 1:9. What differences do you see between confess- 4. When you’re tending toward prideful independence, how do ing to God and confessing to one another (James 5:16)? Who do you respond to things going well? To dif- ficulty? to suffering? you share your sin struggles with?

5. When all seems to be going well, why do you think it’s 13. Though Scripture emphasizes communal prayer and confes- critical to praise and thank God? sion, why do we tend to resist both?

6. Why do you think James emphasizes the community aspect 14. When James refers to a “righteous man” what does he mean of prayer rather than our personal prayer life? by ‘righteous’?

7. James is concerned about ‘effective’, ‘humble’ and ‘reliant’ 15. It’s hard to imagine bolder, more confident faith than that prayer. How does communal prayer uniquely address these? which is displayed when one prays for a momen- tous climate change like Elijah. What things are you praying for that clearly 8. If you weren’t embarrassed and could call together all of demonstrate bold, expectant faith? god’s people to pray for you in a specific way, what would it be? What about for a specific sin?

Apply

16. As you’ve considered what living in humble dependence 18. What lessons have stuck with you the most from this study in looks like, where do you find your heart naturally moving to- James. ward prideful independence? v19. how would you define wisdom? What is its opposite? Why do 17. How does believing, anew, in the grace demonstrated at the we need it, and how and where do we get it? Cross shatter our pride and lead us to humble dependence?

NOTES: Training

The Prayer of a Righteous Man | PRAYER

What Are the Answers? Memorize

1. When in trouble, sick and happy. 12. See notes under “Corporate Prayer.” Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. 2. The power of community, a lifestyle 13. This would be a time to encourage James 5:16 of humble reliance and faith make for the group to be a part of whatever min- effective prayer. istry prayer takes place each week.

3. Our hearts are sinful and broken. 14. In light of what James has been say- ing throughout his book, the “righteous person” is the wise and mature believ- 4. Allow the group to discuss. er, whose faith is fully integrated with his actions.

5. We can become self sufficient, as well as unthankful. 15. you might want to suggest some major faith goals for their personal ministry or the ministry as a whole. 6. It is powerful, effective and requires What about trusting God to bring to humble reliance. Christ 20, 30 or even 50 people this year?

7. See notes under “Corporate Prayer.” 16. Allow the group to discuss.

8. Discuss. you might share first to break the ice. 17. We see how undeserving we are of God’s love and how gracious God has been to us. We see how humbly Christ 9. Typically it symbolizes the pres- ence submitted to the Cross and how much of the Holy Spirit. He humbled Himself in becoming one of us.

10. In 2 Cor. 12:7-9, Paul pleads with God to heal him and He doesn’t. Sometimes 18. Allow the group to discuss. for purposes of growth, learning reliance, humility or reasons not clear to us, God’s purposes are best served by not 19. Wisdom is maturity and com- plete- healing us. We all will be lifted up some ness – our beliefs aligned with our day, but in some cases that may not be actions. Wisdom integrates life (brings until the Lord raises us up with Him. together into one). The opposite is doubleness of life or hypocrisy. All wisdom is found in Christ. To be wise is 11. A person plagued by doubt, perhaps to have the mind of Christ. because of the selfish motives of their prayers (See James 4:3).

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